Optical excitation magnetic sensor module

Abstract

An optically pumped magnetometer module includes a housing and a cell unit disposed in the housing. The cell unit has a cell enclosing an alkali metal, a heat conductive member covering the cell, and a heater provided to the heat conductive member. The cell includes a main body portion having a light-passing region through which at least one of pump light and probe light passes. The heat conductive member is continuously provided over an entire region of an outer surface of the main body portion excluding the light-passing region.

1 . An optically pumped magnetometer module comprising:
 a housing; and   a cell unit disposed in the housing, wherein   the cell unit has a cell enclosing an alkali metal, a first heat conductive member covering the cell, and a heater provided to the first heat conductive member,   the cell includes a main body portion having a light-passing region through which at least one of pump light and probe light passes, and   the first heat conductive member is continuously provided over an entire region of an outer surface of the main body portion excluding the light-passing region.   
     
     
         2 . The optically pumped magnetometer module according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first heat conductive member has an opening corresponding to the light-passing region,   the cell unit further has a heat insulating member covering the first heat conductive member and the heater, and   the heat insulating member is provided over an entire portion of the first heat conductive member excluding the opening.   
     
     
         3 . The optically pumped magnetometer module according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second heat conductive member disposed in the housing, wherein   the second heat conductive member is provided on an inner surface of the housing.   
     
     
         4 . The optically pumped magnetometer module according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a light receiving element disposed in the housing and configured to receive the probe light emitted from the cell, wherein   the second heat conductive member is not provided in a region of the inner surface of the housing, the region corresponding to the light receiving element.   
     
     
         5 . The optically pumped magnetometer module according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a substrate on which the light receiving element is mounted, wherein   the second heat conductive member is not provided in regions of the inner surface of the housing, the regions corresponding to the light receiving element and the substrate.   
     
     
         6 . The optically pumped magnetometer module according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the light-passing region includes an incidence region of the pump light, an incidence region of the probe light, and an emission region of the probe light facing the incidence region of the probe light in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction in which the pump light is incident on the incidence region of the pump light, and   a width of the incidence region of the pump light in a third direction perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction is larger than a width of each of the incidence region of the probe light and the emission region of the probe light in the third direction.   
     
     
         7 . The optically pumped magnetometer module according to  claim 6 , wherein an area of the incidence region of the pump light is larger than an area of each of the incidence region of the probe light and the emission region of the probe light. 
     
     
         8 . The optically pumped magnetometer module according to  claim 1 , further comprising: a support disposed in the housing and configured to position the cell unit at a predetermined position in the housing. 
     
     
         9 . The optically pumped magnetometer module according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the housing has a wall portion, and the cell unit is disposed in the housing such that no space is formed between the wall portion and the cell unit.